EUROPEAN GAMING
As big bookmakers consolidate and move online, smaller high street betting shops are being pushed out, according to a new report. But the industry in the UK is bigger...
Caledonia Says ‘Bingo!’
Caledonia Investments Plc has announced it will buy Gala Bingo Holdings Ltd. from Gala Coral for ₤241 million (US $369.24 million). Gala Bingo is the UK’s largest retail bingo...
Resorts World Birmingham Debuts
The £150 million (US$230 million) casino complex Resorts World Birmingham has opened in the onetime UK industrial center. It is located at the National Exhibition Centre.
No More ‘Russian Vegas’
The casino industry in the Belarus capital of Minsk (the U Admirale at left), an eight-hour drive from Moscow, is faltering amid recession, and due to a weaker ruble....
Brit Bookies Banning Bettors?
Some winning bettors in the UK say that bookmakers are refusing their business and even restricting or closing their accounts, according to the BBC. What’s more, some bookies say...
Grosvenor Completes Upgrade
The Grosvenor Casino Luton has completed a £3.5 million (US$5.4 million) renovation that added a poker room with 200 seats, plus additional gaming tables and slot machines.
Paddy Power-Betfair Merger Goes to Government Agency
The planned £6.2 billion (US$9.6 billion) merger of Paddy Power and Betfair is in the first phase of scrutiny by the Irish Competition & Consumer Protection Commission. Shareholders must...
ESSA Unveils Sports Betting Plan
ESSA Co-Chairman Mike O’Kane told European Union lawmakers they need to adopt and promote standardized rules to combat fixing sporting contests and ensure integrity in professional sports. Player education,...
Brit Tracks Battle Bookies
The British Horseracing Authority and other racing bodies in the UK are on the warpath against bookmakers who do not pay levies on internet gaming. The racing organizations want...
Tigre de Cristal Opens
Lawrence Ho’s Summit Ascent Holdings opened its Tigre de Cristal casino in Russia’s Primorye zone October 8. The first phase of the deluxe resort includes a 119-room hotel and...
Melco Solos in Spain
Melco International has cut loose from its Spanish partner and will seek to obtain a gaming license for Barcelona on its own. In 2014, the company helmed by Lawrence...
Ladbrokes Merger Financing With Coral Complete
Ladbrokes has completed its 1.35 billion pound financing for a merger with Coral. The company also announced that Kristof Fahy will join the business as chief marketing officer.
UK Community Takes On FOBTs
Liberal Democrats and anti-gaming activists in the small English town of Bedford are seeking more local control over a rise in what they claim are addictive fixed-odds betting terminals....
Cyprus Casino to Boost Israeli Tourism
Tourism in Israel may benefit from new casinos planned for southern Cyprus—and vice versa. Five casino operators have taken the first steps to bid on gaming licenses in the...
Bath Casino Targets 2017
A month after breaking ground on a casino in the UK city of Bath, developers have announced the proposed opening date. The Sawclose casino will be completed by May...
NagaCorp, Others Look at Cyprus
NagaCorp Ltd. is one of several casino operators looking at licensure in the Republic of Cyprus. Other bidders include Genting Group, Hard Rock International, Sun International and Bouygues, a...
Resorts World Birmingham Casino Debut Set
The largest casino in Great Britain, the Genting International Casino will open October 26 at the $230 million Resorts World Birmingham. The seven-story property, designed to evoke a luxury...
Finland: United We Stand
Finland will consolidate its state-owned gaming operators, including Casino Ray (l.), into a single entity, the government has announced. The merger, approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Policy,...
British Bookmakers Introduce Responsible Gambling Code
The Association of British Bookmakers and ABB Chief Executive Malcolm George (l.) will introduce improved betting shop standards in November through a new “Responsible Gambling Code.” It includes a...
Lottomatica May Acquire Sisal in Italy
According to Italian news reports, Lottomatica has started talks for a potential acquisition of Italian betting operator Sisal Italia. The merger would create Italy’s biggest gambling operator.